Workplace culture. We’ve all heard of it. We all experience it. We all help shape it.
No matter what role we’re in or who we work with, every single one of us contributes to workplace culture.
Well, okay. But what is workplace culture?
It’s the environment created by share values, attitudes and behaviours within an organisation. Positive workplace cultures are recognisable by having:
Conversely, negative cultures blossom when these things are lacking – and can lead to toxic or even hostile workplaces. I could tell you some stories about that.
Gossiping in the workplace breaks trust. Micro-managing destroys autonomy. Passive-aggressive behaviour erodes the sense of belonging. We can all fall into these behaviours without even realising it – but when we allow or dismiss a behaviour that may have negative impacts, without calling it our or reframing it, that becomes the standard we accept.
And I get it – calling someone out or attempting to reframe our own comments is not easy. It’s uncomfortable. It might even feel unsafe. Sometimes we just don’t know what to say. I still don’t know how to respond to the colleague who repeatedly told me, “I’m not going to change.”
Positive Behaviour in the Workplace
Working in the NDIS space, “positive behaviour” is a term we hear frequently. We all have an idea of what this means to us, but it’s generally accepted as acting in a constructive, helpful way within social norms. Being respectful and displaying emotional intelligence are other key points.
I’m not going to attempt to break down the complexity of human behaviour in a single blog post. The contributing factors and underlying science are far too vast and complex. Instead, I encourage you to think about your own behaviour or actions, and consider this: How much of it do you think is a choice?
Emotions and thoughts influence our behaviours, but they don’t have to control them. Learning to put space between our emotional responses and our reactive behaviours gives us a lot of power. It can stave off panic attacks, stop us acting in ways we later regret, keep us safe from an unexpected response and most of all, it lets us decide how to show up – for ourselves, for our workplace, for our loved ones.
I don’t want to downplay how difficult this sort of awareness can be, especially when there are other factors at play, like psychosocial health impacts and some disabilities. Personality, personal history and environment all contribute as well – it’s generally easier to speak up in a productive way in a place we feel supported than it is in a space where we feel threatened.
Your “Best Self”
Imagine for a few minutes what life would look like for you if you were actively living as your “best self” – define this however you want.
How would you feel every day?
What would your goals be?
What would you be striving for?
Who would you be?
Sit with your best self for a while. Revisit them often. Then consider if your behaviours and actions support you to become your best self or if they move you away from that person. Some of us are familiar with “values” work, and this is a similar concept. Live according to your values and you’ll be much happier and healthier than if you live against them. But first you need to know what your values are.
Identify who your best self is. Break down what you need to do in your daily life to become or maintain being that person. This is different for each of us and includes seeking help from others.
I live my life by a profound and simple quote (that amazingly comes from a sit-com):
“Every decision you make from here on out should be in service of that.”
Whatever your “that” is, you’ll flourish when you live aligned with it.
A Positive Workplace
So, let’s put it all together!
It’s unlikely that your best self is an angry, unfulfilled person going out of their way to cause harm to others. It’s unlikely you want to work for an organisation that encourages passive-aggression, whining or gossiping. These are things that drag us down and leave lingering feelings of unhappiness even after we’ve walked away from them.
How do you feel when you leave work? If it’s great, then recognise the good things and celebrate them with your team to continue nurturing that positive culture. If it’s not so great, think about ways things can improve and share that with those who can help you make a difference. If those people aren’t helping, find others who will.
We all contribute to the workplace culture.
What will your contribution be?